The Corona Incident
by Desk 216
Summary: Pitch Black has fled his home reality, seeking a realm where he can feed without inhibition. However, he didn't expect a determined young guardian to follow him. Stranded in a strange world and separated from his old friends, Jack Frost must find unlikely allies among the peoples of Corona if he is to bring the Master of Fear to justice. A "Destinies Entangled" story.
1. Chapter 1

_**Memorandum**_

 **To : REDACTED**

 **From : REDACTED**

 **Subject: Corona incident**

 **As part of our committee's investigation of damaged realities, we have collected several accounts from the ages of "Solstice" and "Wispshire". These two stories, describing the origin of the self styled "new four" may be of interest to you.**

* * *

Weak. Starved. Exhausted. Alone in the dark, trapped deep underground in a swirling vortex of black sand, the being known as the Boogeyman knelt. For hundreds of years, he had waited, storing his power and preparing for the day when he would rise up to break the Moon's dominion and usher in a new reign of fear upon the world. His plans had been perfect, his army unstoppable, his foes weak and divided. And yet, he had failed. He had FAILED! Despite all his planning, all his preparations, his defeat had been brought about by Jack Frost, a novice guardian who had cared about nothing but idle pranks and mischief the day before. The boy had been stripped of his powers, left alone and despairing in the bottom of an Antarctic canyon, but even that somehow hadn't been enough. Frost had somehow managed to single handedly recover his magic, rally the guardians around the last child, and restore belief in the Four. Now it would be decades, if not centuries, before there would be enough fear to free himself, and even longer before his power would reach even a shadow of what it had once been. Again, he cursed Frost, and the meddling children who destroyed his nightmare army.

The ground trembled, and Pitch Black raised his head. He could feel it, a glorious wave of terror, as though the Moon itself had shuddered. His prison began to shift, and he could feel the stone around him cracking and tearing apart as thousands upon thousands of children cried out in terror. As the tremors continued, Pitch rose upwards on a pillar of sand, splitting the layers of rock and soil above him as he drove his way to the surface. Waves of wonderful panic came to him, and he drank it in like a man dying from thirst. The surface of the earth bulged, then erupted, and the master of fear burst free from his confinement.

Pitch stared up into the dark sky and laughed. Somehow, impossibly, he had gained years of power in the matter of a few moments. He thrust out his arms, and monsters of dark sand ripped themselves into existence, their forms shifting and twisting into the form of childhood terrors, before racing outward in search of dreams to devour and corrupt. As he watched them go, Pitch smiled, staring up at the moon in triumph.

"Welcome back, Boogeyman" A calm, dignified voice split the air behind him. Pitch whirled around to see an armored figure standing with crossed arms and a massive blade hanging on its back. "I hope that you are well?"

Pitch bared his teeth and snarled. A dozen of his Nightmares returned, racing around him in a ring of darkness and awaiting the command to strike. "Who are you, stranger?" he demanded, "and how is it that you are able to see me?"

"I am the one who summoned the tremors that freed you from your tomb. I am the one who has provided you with a feast of the fear that you depend on. I am the one who built this world itself, writing it from the ether." the being said. Behind its mask, red eyes seemed to glow with a malicious light. "But in the end, only one thing about who I am matters to you, and that is that I am the one whom you will now address as 'Master'."

"I have no idea how you found me, or where you learned the source of my power. If you truly are the one who freed me, then I thank you, friend." Pitch said. "However, I very much doubt that you are the creator of the world, and as for your last demand..." Pitch smiled, raising his hands as the nightmares tensed. "No one can truly control Fear." His scythe dropped into his waiting grasp, and his minions charged forwards.

The being seemed to smile at the attack. As the first of the monsters, a skeletal panther, raced forwards. Mere seconds before the Nightmare could strike, the being's form became translucent, letting the monster pass straight through its body. It then reverted to solid form, casually spinning to decapitate the disoriented nightmare as it attempted to change direction. The next two, in the form of armored trolls, approached simultaneously, raising dark axes above their heads. With a contemptuous air, the figure raised a hand, and an ear splitting blast of sound ripped them to shreds. The remaining trio of Nightmares continued advancing, but the figure simply pointed, and electricity arced from monster to monster, vaporizing all three.

Pitch gasped in astonishment as he watched his attack force disintegrated in a matter of seconds. He attempted to flee, summoning a shadowy mount, but beams of energy struck the beast, incinerating it instantly. The being lashed out with its sword, and Pitch barely had time to summon a shield before it slammed into him, sending him sliding several meters.

As the being advanced, Pitch clambered to his feet and reformed his scythe. He swung at his opponent, the dark blade moving with a speed that no human could hope to withstand. The being smiled, and _dropped its sword_. The air seemed to turn to molasses around Pitch's body, and he watched in horror as his motion slowed to a crawl. The being placed a single finger against the scythe, halting the pathetic attack a centimeter before it landed.

"Enough games." the figure growled. It seized the scythe by the shaft, and the weapon vaporized instantly, knocking Pitch off his feet. Pitch tried to scramble backwards, but a metal hand clamped down on his leg, and he groaned, feeling his newfound energy being ripped away. Weak, defenseless, the Boogeyman looked into the glowing eyes of his foe, and for the first time, felt the hopeless terror that he had so often inflicted in his victims.

"I do not wish to repeat this performance" the being said. "You cannot defeat me, you will never have the slightest hope of doing so. I could annihilate your pitiful existence this instant, and the only reason I do not is because you may still become a useful servant. Have I made myself clear?" Pitch desperately nodded his head. The figure straightened, retrieving the fallen sword, and Pitch felt his energies slowly returning.

I permit you to continue seeking the destruction of the ones known as the Guardians" the being said. "However, you will remain continuously at my call, and will perform any task that I demand. In addition, another of my servants shall remain with you at all times, as a precaution against any more meaningless attempts to rebel."

Pitch stood, surveying the night sky. "And tell me, what do you have to offer me if I do agree to submit to you?" he asked.

The figure sneered at him. "What do I offer you, worm? You speak as though I were asking." he said. "However, serve me well, and you will be rewarded with my aid in your trivial war. As a sign of my favor, I give you the following tokens." A massive centipede slithered out from under the being's armor. Decorated in twisting shades of red and gold, it screeched as it crawled upwards, settling on Pitch's right arm. "Do not worry about what this is called, for its name would be meaningless to you. However, as long as is close, it will allow you to invoke incapacitating fear in any save myself."

"In addition," the being continued, "it will ensure that I have constant watch over your actions. If you make some deluded attempt to undermine me, I will know instantly." The creature wound its way up Pitch's arm, and settled around his neck. "I assure you, if you should be so foolish as to attempt this, I will not show mercy a second time. Do you understand?" Pitch nodded slightly. "Say it!" the being demanded.

"If I attempt to betray you, or resist your orders, my life will be forfeit" Pitch muttered in defeat.

The figure then extended a hand, and a small book materialized. "As a second gift, I offer you access to another world, free of the Guardians' meddling." it said. "You may travel here at your whim, but be aware that the door this book opens will never close behind you."

"Go now" the being ordered. "When I have need of your service, you will know." With that, it opened the book, stretched its other hand towards the page, and dissolved into a shower of golden sparks.


	2. Chapter 2

"Snow Day!" Jack Frost yelled, laughing as he swooped down towards a group of laughing children. The wind whipped along behind him, causing the snow to twist and swirl in his wake. Jack tossed a magical snowball at one girl, sending her tumbling into a snowdrift in a fit of giggles. She picked herself up, packing snow and flinging it at her brother's back. As the group devolved into a frenzy of flying snow and cheers, Jack perched on a tree branch and smiled down at the chaos. The smile faded as he looked upwards towards the ruined buildings around him. Though he could help the children forget their troubles for a time, he wasn't able to rebuild their homes, or undo the suffering that the quake had already caused.

Jack started, looking upwards. In the southern sky, he saw the signal he had been waiting on, a line of colors dancing in the chilly air. Jack picked up his staff and launched off into the sky, bound northward.

* * *

The other guardians were already gathered by the time he arrived at the North Pole. "Jack!" North exclaimed. "Is good to see you again! Enjoying your time down south?"

Jack started to respond, but was cut off as arms violently seized him from behind.  
"Hi Jack! I haven't seen you in ages! I was hoping you'd visit, but I guess tooth palace doesn't get much snow, right? Say, Bunny's burrow is down south. Have you gone to see him?" Tooth exclaimed. Before Jack could formulate a response, she broke away from the embrace, giving more locations to her waiting fairies.

Jack laughed, and waved to Sandman from across the room. Sandy was preoccupied with keeping the elves out of his eggnog, but paused long enough to return the gesture.

"Frost!" Bunny stepped forwards.

"Yes?" Jack said innocently.

"Don't give me that!" Bunny snarled. He turned, revealing a young girl clinging to his back. "I've moved the entrance to four different continents, and this little ankle biter still keeps showing up in my burrow! You might as well admit that you've been letting her in!"

"You don't like spending time with Sophie? But you look so cute with a sidekick!." Jack said.

Bunny looked ready to explode. "Unlike you, we can't all spend our days playing! I don't have time to deal with a troublemaking little…" He fell silent as Sophie began tugging at one of his ears, waving a crude drawing of a rabbit. "What's this?" he asked, taking the drawing. "Is that me? Well that's a very nice picture." He smiled and patted her on the head, then glared in Jack's direction. "Stop smirking!"

"I assume we all know reason we are here?" North asked, silencing the argument. With a sense of foreboding, Jack and the rest turned to stare at the globe, watching as countless lights flickered.

A jagged silhouette appeared above Sandy's head.

"The Boogeyman?" Tooth asked. "Earthquakes aren't something that Pitch could ever do before."

"Besides, I don't think he'd come back so soon, considering the butt kicking we gave him last spring." Jack added.

"Are you trying to say that this was natural?" Bunny demanded. "A dozen quakes in one day, towns in ruins, scientists baffled, children terrified, and it all happens to be on the day North is at his weakest? This bloody mess has Pitch Black written all over it."

Jack felt something pull at his pant leg. He looked down to see Sophie standing at his feet, tugging intently. "Sophie? What's the matter?" he asked.

"Shiny" Sophie replied, pointing towards the ceiling.

Jack looked, and saw a steady beam of light shining through an opening in the workshop roof. "Hey guys, we've got mail." he said.

The guardians looked up, and gasped as they saw the moon's glow. Unbidden, they gathered around the beam. "Manny!" Santa shouted. "Do you know what was behind this?"

The glow shifted, and a shadow appeared in the beam, forming a shadow that they all knew far too well. Jack shivered as he heard Pitch's familiar laughter echoing through the room. He glanced towards the other guardians, and saw Sophie hiding behind Santa's legs.  
"But what is this?" North whispered as Pitch's silhouette began to shift. A new shape formed, the outline of a twisted, jagged head. The shadow's eyes began to glow red, and a new laugh resounded through the workshop, far deeper, and with an edge, as though being played from a bad recording.

The group looked at one another with shock. "Someone new, stronger than Pitch?" Tooth whispered.

"But where did tall dark and tinny come from?" Jack asked.

"Wherever he's from, we're gonna make him wish that he'd stayed there." Bunny snarled.

A yeti ran up to the guardians, bellowing and pointing wildly towards the globe. As the group looked towards it, they saw a wave of blackness moving across North America, snuffing out belief as it closed in on the world's brightest lights.

"That's the same place we fought him last time." Tooth said.

"He's targeting the strongest believers" Santa gasped.

Jack froze in panic. "Jamie!"


	3. Chapter 3

A swirling vortex appeared in the sky, and Santa's sleigh burst forth into the brilliant blue sky. Far below, a massive thunderstorm carpeted the ground. "Over there!" Jack shouted, pointing towards a small patch of light. North waved his acknowledgement, and steered the sleigh down into the shrinking eye of the maelstrom. As they spiraled into the clouds, a flash of motion caught Jack's eye. Six children were sheltered in an alleyway, waving frantically.

When Jack squinted, he glimpsed Nightmares darting through the rain and lightning. The kids had piled up several trash cans at the mouth of the alleyway, but the Nightmares easily bypassed the crude barricade. They weaved around and over the kids, careful to stay out of arm's reach.

"Jack! What's going on?" Jamie shouted as they touched down. "How is Pitch back? Didn't we beat him?"  
"I don't know." Jack admitted.

"What's he want with us?" Monty yelped.

"Who cares?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah" his brother agreed. "We'll kick his butt just like last time!" A screech echoed from somewhere in the blackness, and Claude suddenly looked nervous. "Won't we?" he asked Jack.

Jack shared a quick look with North, and came to a silent agreement. "You kidding?" he laughed. "I don't care how many ponies he brings, that old scarecrow doesn't stand a chance."

"We must get children to safety!" North bellowed. He unsheathed his swords, and slashed a Nightmare to dust. "If we take Pitch, can you get them away?" he asked Jack.

"Easy." Jack replied, grabbing the lid off a trash can. He tossed the lid to Jamie, then picked up another and grinned. "Who's up to go sledding again?"

As the Guardians threw themselves against the approaching storm, Jack took off in a flash, creating a path of ice as they went. Jack smiled at his entourage as the children zipped along behind him, cheering and laughing despite themselves. The smile faded as he watched his fellow guardians standing alone against an overwhelming wall of darkness.

As they raced out of the alley and along the street, Nightmares began to flow in, attempting to cut them off. Jack smashed through one with his staff, then sharply spun the trail of ice, dodging a parked car. As a hoard of the beasts suddenly loomed ahead of them, Jack created a quick ramp, and they soared over the heads of the nightmares. Jack aimed, then threw the snowglobe ahead of them. "North Pole!" he shouted, and they zipped through the rift.

* * *

Santa laughed with exhilaration as he slashed through a Nightmare. As he looked for another target, Tooth Fairy zipped past him, chasing an oversized wasp. Santa started to turn, but was knocked off his feet by a massive dragon. The beast reared to strike, but was decapitated by one of Bunny's boomerangs.

Irrational terror abruptly filled his mind. Santa froze, desperately trying to figure out what had happened. The small part of his brain that remained free of the fear noticed that the other guardians were likewise incapacitated. As Santa tried desperately to move, he saw a black shadow emerge from the dark.

Pitch Black chuckled to himself as he approached his helpless foes. His new pet circled his neck, chittering in satisfaction. As promised, he merely had to direct his focus, and the guardians were immobilized. "Hello again, my old friends" he gently scratched Bunny on the head, then ran a finger down Tooth's chin.

Santa groaned, forcing out his words despite the panic. "You...were too late..." he said. "The children are no longer here"

Pitch's smile seemed to grow even wider. "Do you really think that I would care about a few pipsqueaks, now that I have the Big Four at my mercy?" He laughed, as shadow curled around Santa's neck. "I'm here for you"

* * *

Far north, Jamie and his friends stared in awe at the workshop. "Amazing" Jamie whispered. An elf approached, offering cookies and eggnog to them all. Cupcake immediately grabbed one, but the other kids held back, their appetites still not recovered from the attack.

A door burst open, and a laughing Sophie dashed out from behind a workbench, holding a unicorn doll. The paint on the unicorn hadn't yet finished drying, as evidenced by the pink splotches all over Sophie's clothes and face, in addition to the yeti chasing behind her, waving a paintbrush and yelling in alarm.

Jack crouched down and effortlessly scooped Sophie up as she passed. He chuckled as she struggled to climb down, leaving handprints across his face and hoodie. He grabbed a napkin from the cookie basket and attempted to wipe off the paint. "Don't worry Phil, I got her." he told the yeti.

"What about the others?" Jamie asked, staring at the globe.

"With any luck, they'll be back soon." Jack said. "They've got centuries of practice in fighting his spookies."

"And if they don't come back?" Pippa asked.

Jack glanced out the window, and a shadow of worry passed over his face. "We'll cross that bridge if we come to it." He set a slightly cleaner Sophie on the floor, then grinned. "Say, this workshop looks like an awesome place for hide-and-seek. Who's it first?"

* * *

"Twenty Eight….. Twenty Nine… Thirty!" Jamie yelled. "Ready or not, here I come!"

He began to make his way through the workshop, being sure to check every corner or crevice. "Where could they be…." he wondered aloud.

A giggle came from the ceiling. Jamie looked up, and saw Jack floating by the door, Sophie clinging to his neck. "No fair!" he said. "No one else can fly!"

Jack dropped to the floor. "I was hiding with Miss Chatterbox here, so I think it evens out." he said, poking Sophie in the stomach and sending her into another fit of giggles.

An urgent twittering interrupted their banter. Jamie looked over, and saw a small fairy zipping around their heads.

"Baby Tooth!" Jack cupped his hand, and the little creature landed on his palm, breaking out into a frenzy of chirps and whistles. Jack's face blanched as he listened to the fairy's story. "Oh no."

"What's wrong?" Jamie asked.

"She's not sure" Jack said, his brow furrowed. "But somehow Pitch managed to stop all four in their tracks"

"Are you going to help them?" Jamie asked.

Jack pulled out Santa's snow globe, and looked at it with a mixture of pain and indecision. "Santa told me to keep you guys safe."

"You still want to go, don't you?" Jamie said.

Jack grimaced. "It's probably what he expects me to do, but I can't just stay here while they're under his control." He straightened, and put the globe back into his pocket. "I need to stay with you guys. If Pitch comes here, the Yetis won't be enough to hold him back."

Jamie took his sister's hand. "Don't worry about us." he said. "I'll keep the game going while you're gone."  
That was all the encouragement Jack needed. He leaped through the window and out into the snow. "I'll be back in an hour!" he called, as the wind swept him away.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack soared over the maelstrom, careful to stay hidden in the clouds. Far below, the guardians were frozen in place, Nightmares racing around them.

Baby tooth peeked out from the pocket. She looked down, then twittered a question.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do about it." Jack said. "If you've got any ideas, you're welcome to share them."

Jack swooped as low as he dared, attempting to get a closer view of the scene. "Wish I had thought to bring a pair of binoculars." he said.

Baby tooth suddenly chirped in excitement, before zipping down into the storm. "Wait!" Jack called, but the fairy was already gone, darting between shadows and out of sight. Worried, Jack pulled back into the cloud before Pitch could notice him.

Before he could decide on a course of action, Baby tooth returned, hauling a plastic tube several times larger than herself. Jack grinned as he recognized the object. "Jamie's telescope!" he said, taking it. "This'll be perfect."  
Jack peeked out and focused the lens. Pitch was standing in the midst of the guardians, saying something to his prisoners. "Typical. He has the Big Four on a platter, and he starts monologuing" he muttered. "Probably thought I'd be dashing in without thinking things through"  
Baby Tooth smugly chirped from his shoulder. "I know, you told me so." Jack said, smiling fondly at the fairy. He resumed his observation. To his surprise, there wasn't anything restraining his friends in any way. Despite this, they were frozen in place, faces clenched with terror. "This doesn't make any sense." Jack said. "Pitch consumes fear, he doesn't create it." As he tried to figure out what was wrong, something else caught his eye.

At the Boogeyman's feet, something slithered along the pavement. It approached Bunny, and the guardian's expression became even more tense.

"Guess the creepy crawly makes as much sense as anything else." Jack said. "I'll have to hope that it can be taken by surprise."

Baby tooth asked another question, her face concerned. "No, I can't wait." Jack said. "If Pitch gets bored, who knows what he'll do to them." At this, the fairy hid back inside his hoodie. "You shouldn't come along." Jack said, stroking her through the fabric. "If this doesn't work, I'll need someone to carry a message to the yet...OW!" The fairy had jabbed him with her beak. She glared at him from the hoodie pocket, tiny arms crossed.  
"Fine, I guess we're gonna do this together." Jack said. He flew higher and braced himself. "We've got one shot, might as well make it count." he said, drawing on his power and launching towards the ground.

* * *

Pitch surveyed the horizon, watching for Frost. He had no fear of the Four, but if their last encounter had proved anything, it had shown him that Jack was someone he could never afford to underestimate. He surveyed the horizon, waiting for the boy to appear. "The fairy should have told him by now." he muttered. "And this bait is far too precious to ignore."

The air chilled, and Pitch tensed, raising his scythe. Jack Frost was near, and using his power. Pitch was prepared for an attack from any direction, ready to respond to anything that Jack might throw at him. What he wasn't expecting, however, was for it to come from directly above.

Jack flashed down, his staff glowing with energy. Pitch leaped back to dodge the attack, but Jack had aimed his blow at a different target. He channeled every bit of ice directly at the creature, then drew back before he could enter its influence.

As the bolt flashed towards the creature, the air seemed to ripple and darken around it. As snow and ice struck this barrier, it was launched outwards in all directions. Pitch was forced to form a wall of shadow to protect himself from the ricochet of icicles, and the Guardians gritted their teeth against the impact.

Moments later, the shield broke under the onslaught, and the remainder of the bolt's energy was unleashed upon the slug's body. The guardians winced as the creature let out a horrible shriek, a primal declaration of pain and terror. As the blast faded, the wounded creature scuttled up Pitch's leg, and the Four were freed from their confinement.

Bunny chuckled as he retrieved his fallen boomerangs. "Now, where were we?" he asked, shooting Pitch with a feral grin.

Pitch stepped backwards in horror, as he realized that he was surrounded.

The Nightmares raced forwards, and the guardians were forced to turn their backs, repelling this new assault. Pitch mounted another shadowy horse, and galloped into the air. He would lose much of his army in this battle, but at least he could escape with his skin intact.

From above, Jack watched a black shape launch into the sky. "Nice try." he said, then summoned the wind.

Pitch snarled as Jack caught up with him, flying alongside the Nightmare. He struck out with his scythe, but Jack jumped the swing and grabbed onto Pitch's arm.

Jack felt his stomach drop as the nightmare dove towards the ground. The sunlight vanished into inky blackness as they raced into the Boogeyman's lair.

"Release me!" Pitch snapped, struggling to free himself.

"How about no?" Jack said, tightening his hold. He kicked at the scythe, managing to send it spinning off into the void.

The Pitch snarled, and grabbed at something under his cloak. Jack tensed, expecting another weapon, but instead, Pitch produced a small book. He reached forwards, touched a page, and Jack felt the world disintegrate around them.

A strange chord echoed through the darkness, then they broke through into brilliant sunlight. Jack squinted, blinded by the sudden brightness, and felt Pitch's punch slam against his face. Something wet ran from Jack's nose. _Wait, is that blood?_

Jack felt for his face in shock. Sure enough, his fingers came away red. _But I don't bleed…_

Seeing the boy's distraction, Pitch pulled hard at the reins. The Nightmare reared, sending Jack tumbling towards the distant ground. Spinning out of control, Jack heard Pitch Black's triumphant laughter fading into the distance.


	5. Chapter 5

Rapunzel stood in front of the stove, humming to herself as she flipped the pancakes and stirred the sausage. She heard an annoyed squeak from the cupboard, and she smiled up at a small chameleon. "Pascal, we've had this argument before" she said, "Pouting won't change anything." Pascal shot her a disgruntled glance, but Rapunzel paid it no heed. "Besides" she continued. "If I ask her carefully, I'm sure that Mother will take us herself."

A distant yell echoed through the tower, and Rapunzel cocked her head, listening. "Maybe it's just the wind?" she suggested nervously. Pascal cocked his head, then leapt down to the floor, hiding under her dress. The sound was getting closer, and Rapunzel felt a surge of alarm. "Even if it isn't, it's alright." she said, but she tightened her grip on one of the frying pans. "We're safe in the tower, and there isn't-"

A lanky figure smashed through the shutters and skidded across the floor, sliding to a stop only a few feet away. Rapunzel shrieked and leaped back. As the stranger began to rise, she closed her eyes and swung the pan as hard as she could, scattering sausage and grease across the room. There was a sharp crack, and a yelp of pain. She reopened her eyes and saw the figure lying at her feet. He was young, perhaps even younger than her, and wearing a bloodstained blue cloak. Rapunzel gasped as she noticed that the boy's arm was bent at an odd angle, and he was crying from the pain.

 _I didn't mean to hurt him!_ Rapunzel thought in panic. As terrible as the outside might be, did she really have to make someone suffer in order to stay safe? She stepped forwards, reaching for her hair

Rapunzel hesitated. Her mother's warnings about strangers weighed heavy in her mind, but could this pitiful sight be any danger? _Besides, I'm the one who hurt him._ Rapunzel looked to Pascal for advice, but the chameleon merely shrugged.

Rapunzel slowly knelt, flinching every time he moved. She dropped her pan nearby, ready to grab it at a moment's need.

The boy looked up in surprise at her touch. He let out a small groan as she carefully lifted his arm.

"Just stay still." Rapunzel shushed him, wrapping her hair around the broken limb. After a moment's consideration, she also dropped a napkin over his face, before she began to sing.

"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine..." The familiar golden light flowed down from her scalp, stretching down towards the end of the strand. As it wound around the boy's arm, he sighed in relief, and his body relaxed. In spite of her fear, Rapunzel smiled to herself. No matter what happened later, it felt remarkably good to help take away someone's pain.

"bring back what once was mine… what once was mine." As the song drew to a close, the boy sat up, the napkin falling away from his face as the glow faded. He looked at her with curiosity, then said something unintelligible. "What did you say?" Rapunzel asked.

The boy started in surprise at her words. He considered for a moment, coughed, then spoke again. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Rapunzel." she explained, unwinding her hair from his arm. "What was that you said before?"

"Same thing, just in another language." the boy said, getting to his feet. "I haven't heard someone use High German in ages."

"You haven't?" Rapunzel asked, alarmed. "What do people sound like outside?"

"You don't know?" he asked in surprise.

"I've never left this tower." she confessed. "Mother says… well, she just wants me to stay safe."

"Because of your magic hair?" he asked.

Rapunzel felt a surge of panic. "Magic hair?" she asked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The boy raised an eyebrow at this. "Really?" he said dubiously. "And I suppose my arm just went and fixed itself."

"Umm… maybe?" she said. "Or maybe you weren't really hurt as bad as you thought."

He snorted at that. "I know what a broken arm looks like."  
As Rapunzel tried to come up with another excuse, the boy looked her in the eyes. "You might as well admit it." he said. "We both know about your healing powers."

Rapunzel let out a squeak of alarm, then turned and sprinted up the stairs. "Hey, wait!" the boy called. "I'm sorry!"

Rapunzel sprinted into her room, and dove under the covers. Her first encounter with another person, and she couldn't keep it secret for five minutes! Mother was right, she never would survive outside.

Soft footsteps padded into her room. Rapunzel pulled the blanket tighter around her head. He probably was coming to hurt her, or kidnap her, or…

Instead, she felt the mattress dip as a weight settled next to her. "It's alright" the boy soothed. "I didn't mean to upset you."

He paused for a moment, waiting for a response. When he got none, he continued. "I was just curious, you don't have to hide. Can you please come out?"

In spite of herself, Rapunzel lifted the covers and peaked out. A pair of concerned blue eyes stared back at her. "Are you shy about what you can do?" he asked. "Because it really isn't that big of a deal, you aren't the only one who can do magic."

"I'm not?" Rapunzel asked, suddenly curious.

"Of course not." the boy said. "I can do it too." He lept off of the bed, and hung in midair. Rapunzel gaped, letting the blankets slide off her. The boy gave her an encouraging smile, and extended a hand. "See? Can we at least talk for a while?"

Rapunzel hesitantly grasped the boy's hand, allowing her to pull her to her feet. "So, what's your name?" she asked. "And where do you come from?"

"My name is Jack Frost, and I'm a…" he stopped, sniffing at the air. "Do you smell smoke?"

Rapunzel yelped in alarm. "The pancakes!"

They raced downstairs, and Rapunzel quickly yanked the other pan away from the fire, wincing at the heat of the handle.

Jack gestured, and a trail of blue light stretched from his hand around the pan. Rapunzel felt the metal cool against her skin. "Ice magic?" she asked.

"Yeah." he said, shrugging. "That and the flying pretty much sums it up."

"Would you like something to eat?" Rapunzel offered. She turned the pancakes over, and groaned at the scorched breakfast. "They're a little burnt."

Jack grinned. "Sounds delicious."


	6. Chapter 6

**Normal communication routines have been complicated by the unrest in Sonder. We sincerely apologize for the disruption, and hope to soon resume transmitting as scheduled.**

* * *

The nightmare descended through the clouds, touching down outside a small village. Pitch dismounted, and strode forward. Around him, passerby shied away, and Pitch grinned as he felt their fear trickling towards him. As he walked into the center of the market, mothers pulled their children close, and the shopkeepers reached towards hidden weapons. Wait. Pitch was struck with a sudden realization. He grinned at a nearby child. "Boo!" he shouted, and the girl fled, crying for her mother.

The Boogeyman's smile grew wider as he feasted on the child's terror. _She sees me._ There was a shout of alarm, and several farmers approached, brandishing an assortment of pitchforks and sickles.

"State your business!" the leader shouted, but his guise of anger was unable to mask the alarm that was pooling around him and his friends. _They all see me._

Pitch grinned in triumph. He raised a hand, and a sphere of shadow collected around his hand. He hurled the ball at the motley group, and it lanced from man to man, knocking them to the ground one by one.

They screamed as they went down, and Pitch nearly cried at the wonderful panic that surged throughout the village. "It's black magic!" one woman shouted, and people broke into a run, desperately trying to distance themselves from him.

Pitch stood alone in the center of an abandoned village, drinking in the fear from the departing peoples. Pitch broke out laughing, and his pet chittered as it wound around his neck. "Now begins the reign of nightmares!" he shouted. _And now, the people finally will believe that I exist._

* * *

Jack smiled as he dried the dishes. Breakfast had been a mix of half burnt pancakes from the stove and undercooked sausage that they had retrieved from around the room, but the sheer novelty of being able to eat again had more than made up for the taste.

Rapunzel hummed to herself from the sink, scrubbing at one of the frying pans. As she placed the pan in Jack's pile, she looked at him with a sudden curiosity. "You never did tell me about the outside." she said. "What do people sound like?"

"I don't know myself." he admitted. "I was chasing Pitch Black, and somehow wound up here. I'm not sure where we are, much less what language people use."

"Pitch Black?" she asked.

"Nasty fellow, scares people for fun." Jack said. "I'll have to go looking for him, sooner or later."

"How will you find him?" she asked

"I'll ask around." Jack said. "With any luck, someone will have seen him, or I'll hear about people having nightmares."  
"I'm going to have Mother take me outside for my birthday." Rapunzel said. "Maybe you could come with to look for him."

"Do you really think that she'll let you?" Jack asked. "If she's kept you locked up in here for so long, what's different now?"

"I'm turning eighteen" Rapunzel said, picking up the other pan. "That ought to be old enough to go outside, don't you think?"

"Sure, I think so." Jack replied. "But will your mother?"

Rapunzel smiled at him as she plunged her hands back into the sink. "You turned out alright, didn't you? Mother's probably just worried about me. If I ask carefully, she's bound to take us."

"If you say so." Jack said, concealing his doubt. "So, why do you want to go out now?"

Rapunzel's brow furrowed as she looked at him. "Promise not to laugh?"

"Of course I do." Jack said, confused.

"I want to go see the floating lights." she confessed.

"Floating lights?" Jack asked.

"I don't know what the lights are, but they appear every year, the night after tomorrow." Rapunzel said. "Maybe you've seen something like that?"  
"Nothing comes to mind." Jack said. "and I've seen a lot in my time."

"In your time?" Rapunzel asked, drying her hands. "You can't be any older than I am."

Jack went to explain, then reconsidered. _I can bleed, I can eat… I'm not immortal anymore, am I?_

"You've been locked in a tower all your life." he replied. "That'll change how much you could see." Rapunzel's brow furrowed at the deflection, and Jack decided to change the subject. "So, what do these lights look like?" he asked.

Rapunzel dashed back into her room. "I just need to get something" she called, as Jack went to follow.

Jack shrugged, but busied himself with drying the last pan. As he placed the pan on the top of the stack, Rapunzel came down, a roll of paper under one arm.

"It was under my closet" she said. "I was starting to think it had been lost, or… well, never mind that. Here." she said, unrolling the paper.

Jack's mouth fell open. An intricate charcoal sketch had been carefully scratched onto the other side of the paper. Brilliant spheres rose through a dark sky, illuminating the trees below. In one corner of the drawing, Rapunzel had drawn herself, gazing upward in obvious wonder. The image was faded, and the charcoal had smeared in places from being rolled up. Despite this, the careful detail and proportion made Jack feel as though he was staring directly into Rapunzel's mind, seeing the dream that she kept hidden. "You drew this?" he asked, continuing to marvel at the sketch. "This is amazing!"

Rapunzel shrugged. "It's alright, I wouldn't exactly call it 'amazing'"

"Trust me" Jack said. "This is really, really good." his gaze strayed upwards, to the paintings that crisscrossed the ceiling. "If those lights are so important to you, why do you keep this hidden?"

Rapunzel blushed. "Mother… doesn't like it when I talk about the outside. She worries about what people might do if they found out about my hair."

"So you hid it so she wouldn't worry?" Jack asked.

"Kind of." Rapunzel said. "Also… I didn't want to lose it like the first one."

"The first one?" Jack asked, looking at her with concern.

Rapunzel looked away from him, back towards the drawing. "The first time I drew the lights, I showed my picture to Mother. It upset her, and she… got rid of it."

"Got rid of it?" Jack said, a surge of indignation rising in his chest.

"She burned it." Rapunzel said. She rolled up the sketch and pushed it to the side of the table. "I really shouldn't have drawn it, I know how much she worries. I just can't help but feel some sort of connection to this, whatever it is."

Jack scowled. "That's ridiculous." he said. "Nothing could justify destroying something so beautiful." He looked back across the murals, and smiled with a sudden idea. "Why don't we paint this somewhere up on the walls? She won't be able to burn it then."

Rapunzel hesitated. "But when mother sees it…"

"You'll introduce me to her, and she'll realize how wrong she was about the outside." Jack said, smiling at her with false confidence. "How about it?"  
Rapunzel considered, then laughed. "Why not?" she said. She dashed towards the fireplace, and scrambled up onto the mantle.

"What are you doing?" Jack called, zipping over as Rapunzel began pushing a piece of artwork to the side.

"There's a blank spot behind here." she explained. Jack grabbed the sculpture as it toppled off the mantle, and carefully lowered it to the ground. "Could you get my paints?" Rapunzel asked, pointing to the side of the room.

Jack flew over and retrieved a wooden box from the side of the room. "I've been saving this space for something important" Rapunzel called from over on the hearth, now pulling the drapes to the side. "What better use could there be than this?"

Jack grinned as he flew back. "Sounds good to me." he set the paint splattered box on the hearth, and she flicked it open.

Rapunzel considered for a long moment, then grabbed a green jar of paint and a blue one. "Here" she said, handing him the blue paint. "Can you start painting the sky?"

"Why do I have to paint the sky?" Jack said, giving an exaggerated pout.

Rapunzel giggled at his expression. "Because you can fly, you dummy."

Jack laughed as well, and grabbed the jar. "I can't argue with that." he said, and swooped upwards.

Rapunzel hummed as she began to spread a landscape across the base of the painting. "I've wanted to see the lights for years." she said. "It seems impossible that I'm going to finally get to go."

Before Jack could respond, he heard a terrified squeal. A green blur shot across the room, racing towards them. "Pascal!" Rapunzel exclaimed, leaping down from the mantle and picking up a small reptile.

A second, iridescent shape zipped after the first. It drew back as it reached Rapunzel, resolving itself into a furious Baby Tooth. The fairy let out with an angry series of chirps and gestures, and Rapunzel drew back in surprise. "Baby Tooth!" Jack said, flying down as well.

"You know this thing?" Rapunzel said. The little fairy looked to Jack for a moment, then resumed her tirade.

"She's a tooth fairy, not a thing." Jack said. He reached out, and after a moment's hesitation, Baby Tooth dropped into his hand, her arms still crossed.

"You didn't tell me that you've got a pet fairy!" Rapunzel accused.

Jack shrugged as he stroked Baby Tooth. "You didn't tell me that you've got a pet chameleon."

Rapunzel blushed. "Fair enough." she said. The chameleon leapt from her hand onto the mantle. "This is Pascal." she said, scratching him on the head. "I'm not sure where he came from, but he showed up one day, and we've been friends ever since." Pascal squeaked in pleasure, then drew back as Baby Tooth shot him another glare. "He's shy, so I didn't think he'd come out around you."

"It seems like he may have been forced to reveal himself." Jack said, shooting Baby Tooth a questioning glance. The fairy glared back at him, then launched into an irritated explanation. Jack began to laugh as she continued her story. "Really?" he asked, and the fairy nodded vigorously.

"What?" Rapunzel asked. "What's she saying?"

"Apparently Pascal tried to eat her." Jack said. The chameleon gave them all a sheepish look, changing his color to a deep crimson. "'Tried' being the key word here."

"Pascal!" Rapunzel said, exasperated. "I thought you knew better!" She shook her finger at the little creature, and Pascal crawled under the drapery. Rapunzel glared at the hiding place for a moment more, then turned back to look at Baby Tooth. "I'm so sorry about that." she said to the fairy. "He tends to think with his stomach instead of his head."

There was an indignant squeak from under the curtain. "Yes you do!" Rapunzel said over her shoulder. She extended her hand towards Baby Tooth. "Can you forgive us?" she asked. "I promise he won't ever try that again."

Baby Tooth gave the curtains one last glare, then nodded. She took one of Rapunzel's fingers in both hands, and they shook on it.

"Now" Rapunzel said, straightening. "How would you both like to help us with our painting?" The fairy let out a chirp of delight, then zipped into the box. She emerged moments later, hauling a paintbrush several times her size.

Rapunzel laughed, then clambered back up onto the mantle. "I guess that's a yes." she said, returning to the painting.

Jack retrieved his paintbrush. He paused on his way back, and lifted up the curtain. An ashamed Pascal stared back at him. "No hard feelings." Jack said, extending his hand to the little creature. "Wanna help?"

Pascal cocked his head, and let out happy squeal. He scampered onto Jack's hand and up his arm, settling himself on the boy's shoulder. Jack grinned, and offered him the paint. "Let's get to work!"

* * *

Several paint splattered hours later, the four of them drew back to admire their work. While they had been unable to replicate many of the details from her original drawing, Rapunzel felt that they had done it justice. Pascal had discovered that his tail was the perfect way to add texture to her hair and the trees, and up in the sky… "Wait." Jack said, pointing upwards. "Where did that come from?"  
Rapunzel followed his finger to the very top of the image, where a small crescent of white had been carefully painted in. "That's weird." she said. "I didn't think to include a moon in my drawing."  
"Actually, I put the moon in." Jack said, floating closer. "I'm talking about that thing on top of it."

Rapunzel squinted. Sure enough, there did appear to be another white shape above the first. "I can't see well enough from down here." she said. "What is it?"

Jack swooped across the ceiling to the opposite side of the room, then dove back towards them. Before Rapunzel could realize what he was planning, Jack slammed into the back of her knees, sending her toppling backwards.

"HEY!" she yelped, and felt Jack's hands clamp onto her legs, stopping her motion as they rose. "What are you doing?"

"You couldn't see" Jack said, settling her onto his shoulders. "I'm helping you get a closer look!"

"And you couldn't just tell me what you saw?" Rapunzel asked, grabbing at the boy's cloak to steady herself. "Or warn me before you did this?"

"But that would ruin all the fun!" Jack laughed. He floated in midair, holding Rapunzel at eye level to the small moon. "So, can you see it well enough now?"

"Just barely" Rapunzel said, rolling her eyes. She turned back to the painting and examined the moon. A small boy sat in the crescent, holding a long stick in both hands. "That's strange" she said. "How would someone get up there, and why would he have a fishing rod?"

"That's what I'd like to know" Jack said. There was a giggle to their right, and both of them looked over to see Baby Tooth hovering next to them.

"Did you draw this?" Rapunzel asked, and the fairy nodded, still snickering at their pose.

"Why would you add something like that?" Jack asked. "Is that supposed to be Manny?"

Baby Tooth shrugged at this, then zipped away, stopping to slap Pascal upside the head as she went by. The chameleon glared after her, but seemed unwilling to risk a repetition of his earlier defeat.

"Fairies." Jack sighed, rolling his eyes. He carefully set Rapunzel back on the floor, then grabbed the blue paint. "I'll fix it quick."

"Don't!" Rapunzel said, grabbing his arm. "I like it!"

Jack stopped. "You do?"

"Yes!" she said. "It's something that only the four of us know about. Anyone else won't notice it among everything else, but when we look at it, it'll be the first thing we see. Important, but invisible"

Jack smiled at her. "If it makes you so happy, I can't complain."

Just as their eyes met, a high voice echoed through the tower. "Rapunzel, let down your hair!"


	7. Chapter 7

**The situation across the Aleph Overworld has finally stabilized, allowing us to resume weekly updates. On behalf of my superiors, I thank you for your patience during this disruption.**

* * *

Rapunzel stiffened, and her eyes widened in alarm. "Quick" she hissed. "You've got to hide!"

"What?" Jack asked, but Rapunzel was already shoving him across the room.

"Mother can't see you yet!" she whispered. "I've got to soften her up beforehand or she'll never let us go!"

"Rapunzel?" the voice called. "I'm not getting any younger down here!"

"Coming!" Rapunzel called. She shoved Jack towards her wardrobe, then flung open the door. "Hide in here and wait for me" she whispered. "It shouldn't be more than a minute or two."  
Jack shrugged, but stepped into the closet. Before he could close the door, something small and green hit him in the face. Pascal scampered onto Jack's shoulder, then looked at him in alarm, poking his tail towards the open doors. "Right." Jack said. He pulled them closed, but left one slightly ajar. Jack ignored Pascal's frantic gestures and peered through the small gap.

Rapunzel had reopened the tower door, and wrapped her hair around an iron ring just above the opening. She was pulling at her hair with some difficulty, apparently hauling someone up into the tower. As Jack watched, a small figure zipped into view. It flew lazy circles around Rapunzel, watching as she worked. "Baby Tooth!" Jack hissed. "Hide!"

The fairy didn't hear him, continuing to fly circles as another voice got closer. Rapunzel silently gestured as she pulled, but Baby Tooth simply hovered in midair, apparently trying to figure out what the girl meant.

The fairy squeaked in alarm as a head of black hair came into view. She flew towards the kitchen, but almost immediately pulled back, deciding that there wasn't enough time. She turned towards the closet, but seemed to dismiss it as too far away. Out of options, Baby Tooth zipped down the front of Rapunzel's dress. The girl yelped in alarm, nearly losing her grip.

"Oh!" the woman cried out, clinging tighter to Rapunzel's hair. "Careful!" she snarled.

"Sorry, sorry." Rapunzel said, as her mother stepped into the tower. "I was just- eep! distracted for a moment." A small lump made its way around the girl's torso.

"Of course, it's not like you nearly sent your mother plummeting to a painful and gory death." The woman said, and Rapunzel's face fell. "I'm only joking, dear." she said, already moving forwards towards the mirror.

"Look… mother…" Rapunzel said, but her mother ignored her, frowning at her reflection.

"Flower, mother's feeling a little run down. Will you sing for me, dear?" she asked. "Then we'll talk."

"Oh!" Rapunzel said, trying to discreetly shake Baby tooth out of her clothes. "Of course, mother."

She grabbed a stool and chair, and placed them by the fireplace. "Flower… gleam and glow, let your power shine…"

Jack frowned as Rapunzel continued her song. The woman brushed at her glowing hair, grey streaks fading away. "Of course." he muttered. "She's gotta keep her kid locked up so people don't abuse the magic hair, but it's perfectly fine if _she's_ the one abusing it."

Rapunzel's mother frowned as the song came to a close. "You seem fidgety today, dear." she asked. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, mother." Rapunzel said, tugging at her dress. "Probably just a mosquito, I've been dealing with them all morning."

"You have?" the woman asked. "They didn't seem that bad in the forest."

"Oh yes." Rapunzel replied. "the little pests are everywhere this time of-OW!" she yelped and grabbed at her arm.

Her mother laughed at this. "I guess you're so sweet that they find you irresistible!" As she turned away, Rapunzel's hand closed on a small object, and Baby Tooth let out a squeak of protest.

"What was that?" the woman asked.

"I didn't hear anything" Rapunzel said, hurrying across the room towards the closet. "Anyways, about my birthday…"

Her hand slipped through the crack and released the irritate fairy. The door slammed heavily as Rapunzel leaned against it, muffling the conversation.

Baby Tooth twittered her annoyance in the newfound silence. "I know you aren't a mosquito." Jack whispered. "But we did tell you to hide."

Pascal chuckled at this this, but immediately stopped at the fairy's glare. "Quiet" Jack said, putting his ear to the door.

Jack couldn't make out the words, but Rapunzel's mother kept cutting off Rapunzel's voice as they moved around the room.

"-don't think it can be that bad." Rapunzel said her voice becoming more clear, "You see, this morning-"

"You'd be surprised." the woman said. "Bandits, brigidands, it's a terrible, dangerous world, you wouldn't last five minutes!"

"But really!" Rapunzel said, her voice getting slightly closer. "if you'd just let me-"

A shout cut her off. "RAPUNZEL! YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS TOWER, EVER!"

Jack sighed. It appeared that his suspicions about this mother had been correct.

Rapunzel began talking again, her voice subdued and disappointed.

Pascal let out a sad squeak, and Jack patted him on the head.

The voices trailed towards the window, and Rapunzel called out a farewell. After a long moment, her footsteps ran across the room towards their hiding place.

Rapunzel flung the door open, and Jack climbed out, ready to console her.

To his surprise, Rapunzel wasn't on the verge of tears. Her fists were clenched, and her face showed nothing but anger and determination. "Will you take me?" she asked.

"Take you where?" Jack asked.

"To see the lights." Rapunzel said, then sighed. "I don't know why Mother's so protective, but I can do this. I'm eighteen, and I can't stay up here forever!" she looked towards the window, then looked back to Jack, slightly nervous. "Besides, you'll be able to protect me, right?"

Jack laughed. "I'll try to fight off any terrible ruffians we meet." he said. "But I don't think you'll need much protection, considering how you swing a frying pan." he flexed his arm, and winced at the memory.

Rapunzel blushed at this. "sorry about that."

"So, are you just gonna run away and leave a note?" Jack asked, impressed.  
Rapunzel frowned. "I asked Mother to get a special paint for my birthday." she said. "She shouldn't be back for at least three days." she looked back out the window, but there was no sign of the dark haired woman among the trees. "We can get back by then, right?"

"Don't see why not." Jack said, "so you want be to get you there and back in three days?"

"Yes." Rapunzel said. "And along the way, I'll help you look for this Pitch Black person. Is that okay?"

"Sounds like a deal to me." Jack said. He offered his hand to Rapunzel, and they shook on it.

To Jack's surprise, Rapunzel turned back and ran back into her bedroom. "Where are you going?" he called.  
"I need to pack!" she called.

Jack sighed and settled himself on the windowsill to wait. _Girls_.

* * *

"That's what you packed? Pencils and paper?" Jack asked incredulously.

Rapunzel blushed, but tucked her frying pan into the satchel and swung it onto her shoulder. "This might be my only chance to see the lights." she said. "I don't want to forget a minute of it."

"Fair enough." Jack said. "Ready for me to fly us down?"

"Race you to the ground!" Rapunzel pushed past him and leapt out the window. She hooked her hair into the hook as she hung in the air, then hurtled downwards.

Jack laughed, then dove after her, gaining as Rapunzel began to slow herself. To his surprise, she drew back up short, suspended a mere foot above the grass.

"You okay?" he asked, circling.

"...Yes." Rapunzel said. _I can do this._ She carefully lowered one leg, then the other, then finally released her hair.

Rapunzel giggled at the new sensation of grass tickling her feet. She fell to her knees to smell the warm earth, then sprawled onto the ground, looking upwards at the sky.

She frowned as the tower came back into view. _Wait… What am I doing? Mother trusts me, I can't just…_ She stood up, then started to walk towards the tower. _I've got to go back._

She felt someone tugging at the sleeve of her dress. Baby Tooth looked up at her anxiously, and gestured towards the forest. Rapunzel's heart lurched at the pull of the outside world. _I can't turn back now…_ She looked back at the tower. _But then again…_

A hand slapped her shoulder, interrupting her worries. "Tag!" Jack called, running into the trees. "You're it!"

Rapunzel giggled, then sprinted after him. "No fair!" she shouted, and the chase was on.


	8. Chapter 8

It was a glorious day. The sun was shining through the trees, the birds were singing their happy tunes of summertime, and Flynn Rider was running for his life.

Yells and shouts echoed behind him as his pursuers gained ground. "Retrieve that satchel at any cost!" the leader shouted, and his horse whinnied a challenge.

Flynn dove under a tree trunk as five crossbow bolts slammed into the wood, right where he had been moments before. He paused to consider the close call, but another whinny yanked his thoughts away from a death that could have happened and back to the demise currently awaiting him if the soldiers caught up.

* * *

The panicked thief sprinted to the side, narrowly dodging another volley. The captain gestured, and his men easily swung around to follow. Another fallen tree rose up ahead of them, and his horse easily vaulted over the top as the others pulled back. The captain smiled to himself as he saw the desperate figure drawing closer with every moment. "We've got him now, Maximus!" he cheered, and the white stallion began to gallop even faster.

* * *

Flynn was uncomfortably aware of the hooves drawing up behind him. He spared a glance back, and saw the sneer of triumph on the captain's face. Frantic, he grasped at the air in front of him, in the vain hope that he might magically pull some sort of weapon out of thin air.

His hands closed on a stretch of plant life, and suddenly, Flynn was airborne. He flailed his legs as he hurtled in a wide arc, clinging to the vine with all his strength. _Wait a minute..._ Flynn grinned as he swung back towards his pursuer, then kicked off several tree branches as he aimed himself.

Flynn slammed feet first into the captain, sending him hurtling from his horse. He released his hands a second later, dropping perfectly into the stirrups.

The surge of pain between his legs made it clear that he'd probably be regretting that particular stunt for the next couple of days, but Flynn couldn't care less, laughing at his success. _Another glorious moment for Flynn Rider! Now if only I had planned for that to happen..._ "YAH!" he shouted, snapping the reins and spurring his mighty steed onwards.

A moment later, his mighty steed pulled up sharply. Flynn's face slammed against the stallion's neck as they skidded to a stop.

Flynn kicked at the horse's sides. "C'mon fleabag!" he snapped, but his mount just glared at him. "Forwards!"

The horse snorted, focusing on the satchel in Flynn's hand. Flynn pulled his arm back as it snapped at his prize. "No." he ordered, but the horse just whinnied and tried again. "No!"

The stallion spun in a circle as Flynn tried to keep his treasure out of reach. Large teeth clamped onto the base of the satchel, and Flynn found himself in the strangest game of tug of war ever experienced, spinning in a wild circle towards a cliff while fighting to wrest a priceless treasure away from the jaws of a furious warhorse. "Give it to me." he grunted. "Give-it-to-"

The satchel popped free from both their grips, flying in a low arc towards the edge of the cliff. Flynn's heart jumped into his throat, but the leather strap caught onto the furthest branch of a tree, its contents swaying precariously over the drop.

Flynn shoved the stallion's head to the side, then leapt towards the edge. Breaking into a gallop, the horse quickly overtook him, but Flynn managed to grab onto one of his legs, sending them both toppling onto the grass. He got up and tried to run, but a pair of teeth clamped onto his pant leg, sending him toppling back down again.

The stallion trotted onto the tree trunk as Flynn got to his feet, but he wasn't going to let a stupid _horse_ take his treasure from him. Getting a running start, Flynn hurtled himself up over the saddle, then clung onto the creature's neck and head as he grabbed for the satchel.

The horse shook itself, and Flynn was tossed free, barely managing to grab onto the trunk and stop his fall. Flynn peeked upwards, and gulped as a pair of angry eyes glared down at him. _Oh crap._

The stallion stomped at the tree trunk, and Flynn scrambled forwards, desperately fighting to keep his fingers and toes away from the massive hooves. The satchel began to slide free as they approached, but Flynn grabbed onto a branch and swung, hanging by one hand as the other closed on the strap.

Flynn sneered at the horse, holding his prize out in front of him. "Hah!" he began, but the rest of the taunt died in his throat as they both heard the sickening crack of wood pushed well past its breaking point.

The stallion whinnied in alarm as the trunk snapped free. For a moment, they hung in midair, then gravity took over and they were launched downwards, both man and horse clinging desperately to the tree trunk as they fell.

A rock outcropping shot out straight ahead of them, and the tree shattered, sending them toppling in opposite directions.

Maximus tumbled down the remainder of the cliff, eventually landing heavily in the dirt. The warhorse collected himself, then leapt to his feet, looking around for the fugitive. Seeing no sign of the man, he dropped his nose to the ground and began sniffing for the fugitive's scent.

Downwind, Flynn crouched behind a boulder and watched the warhorse moving away from him. He cautiously slipped his satchel back around his neck, then began to move slowly away along the base of the cliff.

His hand slipped through the underbrush, encountering nothing but air behind. Flynn gasped as he stumbled backwards into the mouth of a cave. He quickly recovered, but that lousy horse let out a whinny of alarm, and Flynn was forced to duck into the cave as hoofbeats again approached his hiding place.

For a moment, the stallion's silhouette was plainly visible through the greenery, but then the horse snorted and walked off, again sniffing at the ground.

Relieved, Flynn jogged deeper into the cave to hide. He was startled by the feel of sunlight against his neck, his mouth falling open as he beheld its source.

An ancient tower stood in the center of a valley, concealed by the cliffs on all sides. At the back of the valley, a waterfall spilled down the rock face, tumbling into a gentle stream that ran by him.

Flynn was shaken out of his trance by a distant whinny. He considered for a moment, then dashed towards the abandoned tower. _Suppose that's as good a hiding place as any._

To his surprise and confusion, a closer inspection of the tower's base revealed no form of entry, forcing Flynn to haul himself up the side of the tower, using a pair of the crossbow bolts to anchor himself against the stone. Just as his muscles were beginning to scream from exhaustion, Flynn reached the lowest window and dove inside, hurriedly slamming the shutters behind him.

Panting, Flynn leaned against the column as he caught his breath and opened the satchel. "Alone at last." he said, smiling down at the bag's contents.

 _The perfect crime, a daring escape, and all before lunchtime! Just another day in the life of the Great-"_ Flynn lost his train of thought as he looked upwards for the first time, and his jaw dropped at the beauty of the room around him.

Somewhere above, a skylight let the sun spill into the building, and every inch of the walls had been covered with paintings. Trees, animals, and countless symbols and shapes had been woven into the murals, and among it all, the same girl had been painted again and again, sitting, jumping, dancing, and simply running free among the splendor.

His treasure forgotten entirely, Flynn slowly began to walk the perimeter of the room, taking it all in greater detail. He stopped before the mantel, looking upwards. In the place of honor, the same golden haired girl sat on top of a tree, watching as balls of light floated into the sky.

Flynn frowned as he stepped forwards. _I wonder who she was_. He reached out to run his fingers along the base of the picture, then yelped as he touched it, jumping backwards and looking down at his hand. Sure enough, his fingertips were stained green. _It's wet? But does that mean…_ Far more cautious now, he carefully walked over to the stairs and ascended, careful to check for loose boards.

Flynn eased the first door open, and peered inside. The walls of this chamber were bare and unadorned, but to his relief, the bedroom was empty. He moved on to the second doorway, frowning as he did so. In place of a door, this room had only offered a light curtain for privacy. Flynn carefully peered inside, but this room was as uninhabited as the first. Flynn stepped inside, seeing more of the painting spread across the the walls and ceiling. _I guess she slept… sleeps? here…. But where is everyone, and why would they want to live all the way out in the middle of nowhere?_

Flynn's eyes widened as he noticed a smaller detail on the walls. In the center of a flower, the painter had inked in a spiraling sun. The design was somewhat vague, but it was unrecognizable as anything except the royal seal of the Coronan Royal Family.

 _Could it be? Golden hair… living an isolated life... let's see, I was what, thirteen? fourteen? no, it must have been thirteen… and that was the fifth celebration…_ Flynn's brow furrowed as he did the mental math. _So I suppose she'd be eightish years younger than me… and I'm twenty… twenty six?_ He frowned at this. _Wait, I'm twenty six already?_ _I'm getting old faster than I thought!_

His musings were shattered as a series of impacts echoed through the tower. There was a grating of stone against stone, then a woman's voice echoed through the tower. "Rapunzel?"

Footsteps pounded against the stairs, and Flynn dove underneath the bed. A pair of boots came into view, and the covers were roughly ripped off the bed and hurtled into a corner.

The woman let out a snarl of anger and frustration. She turned and sprinted out of the room, and Flynn heard doors slamming and cloth ripping as she continued her search of the tower. "Rapunzel!" the woman shouted.

Several doors slammed, then the noise dropped away. Flynn waited for what felt like eternity, but heard nothing more. He eased himself out of his hiding place, then peered around the curtain.

The skylights had been closed, and the shutters locked, casting the room into relative darkness. A dark haired woman stood in the center of the main room, considering. After a moment longer, she produced a knife, drawing it across the flesh of her arm. Flynn winced as the blood began to pool from the vertical cut.

The woman waited until a drop of blood began to fall, then thrust her arms outwards. "Recall." she hissed, and the falling blood turned an inky shade of black.

Flynn felt his face pale as a breeze rushed through the tower. Shadows grew and shifted, then shaped themselves into two figures, a boy and a girl. Flynn looked to the woman's face, and his worst suspicions were confirmed as lines of age spread and deepened. "Black magic." he whispered, horrified.

The witch watched intently as the two figures conversed and shook hands, then the girl sprinted up the stairs. Flynn pulled back as she pushed a pale reflection of the curtain aside, then sprinted straight towards him. He clenched his teeth, but the girl passed straight through as if he didn't exist. As the apparition rummaged through the room, Flynn examined it more closely. It was obviously the same girl as in the paintings, with long blonde hair trailing behind her, but this replica was pale and colorless, lacking the golden brilliance that they depicted.

The girl finally produced a sketchpad and set of pencils, then turned and walked out of the room. Flynn peeked out, watching as she returned to the boy, who had been reclining in the open windowsill. They spoke for a moment more, then both boy and girl leapt out the window, dissolving into the sunlight.

The woman's fists clenched as as the spell ended. "Wherever you have taken her, I will find you!" she growled. "No one shall steal my flower ever again!" With that, she swung her cloak around her form and vanished down an opened hatchway.

Flynn sat still, holding his breath until he heard the footsteps vanish away. After a moment longer, he walked back into the main room and peered through the hatch. Sure enough, a staircase spiraled downwards. "That would have made things easier." he said, then turned to follow the woman down. _Stealing the princess's crown is alright, but saving the lost princess herself from the clutches of a witch? That's a real job for Flynn Rider!_


	9. Chapter 9

Jack and Rapunzel lay panting on the grass, utterly exhausted. "That was…" Rapunzel began.

"Really fun." Jack said. He hadn't felt this tired since… _Since before I became a Guardian, I guess._ If he wasn't immortal, was he even a Guardian anymore? "So, what now?" he asked aloud.

"I dunno." Rapunzel said, climbing to her feet. "Maybe we can find someone who'll give us directions to the lights."

"Maybe they can also tell us what those lights really are." Jack said. "It'd be nice to know what we're looking for." He frowned as he stood, noticing an unfamiliar pressure in his lower abdomen.

Rapunzel set off, humming to herself, with Baby Tooth zipping around behind her. Jack shook off his puzzlement and followed.

The trees fell away ahead of them, revealing a dusty dirt path. They started down it, then rounded a corner.

"Why don't we ask there?" Rapunzel suggested, pointing down the road.

Jack frowned, following gaze to a beaten up building. The place was in disrepair, with shattered windows and several walls on the verge of collapse. Nearer to them, a painted sign swung gently in the breeze.

"The Snuggly Duckling" Jack read. He would have assumed it to be abandoned, had there not been multiple horses tied up in front of the building. "We may want to look elsewhere." he said. "The people probably aren't the friendliest."

"We're just asking for directions." Rapunzel said, pulling him forwards. "What's the worst that can happen?"

Pascal hid himself in Rapunzel's hair, and Baby Tooth ducked into Jack's hoodie pocket as they approached the building. Jack frowned, again noticing the strange sense of pressure.

Rapunzel knocked on the door. There was a long pause, then the door was abruptly yanked inwards. Rapunzel let out a squeak and stumbled backwards as a helmeted figure stepped into the doorway. "What'ya want?" he growled.

Rapunzel collected herself, then smiled upwards. "We just wanted to know if you could point us towards-"

"Who is it?" a voice called from inside.

"Couple'a kids." the man replied. "I was just about to tell'em to get lost."

"Wait!" Rapunzel said. "You can't just send us away like that! We need to know how to get to-"

"Don't care." the man grunted. He swung the door closed, but Rapunzel shoved her frying pan into the crack. "Please!" she called. "It's really important!"

"Well then, you'd better let'em in." the second voice chuckled. "We wouldn't want to get in the way of something _important._ "

The brute stepped aside, and gestured them in. They walked in, then pulled back as they saw the room's inhabitants. Scarred and deformed, every body bulged with muscles, and every face turned sinister as it turned towards the teens. Every figure had multiple blades, and Jack saw several hands reaching for their weapons.

Rapunzel and Jack started to step backwards, but a pair of heavy hands shoved them forwards, towards the center of the room. "Go on!" the helmeted man encouraged. "We won't bite… much."

"We just need some directions, then we'll get out of your hair." Jack said.

"Don't be like that!" a man called. His muscles bulged, and his left hand had been replaced with a hook. "Everyone's always rushing around these days. Why don't you sit down and have a drink!" he seized a man by the throat, tossed him away, then gestured at the open spot on the bench. "There's plenty of room over here!"

Jack looked back, but several figures had stepped in front of the door, cutting off their retreat. he groaned inwardly, but cautiously set off towards the table.

"...Hi" Rapunzel said, as they walked across the room. "It's… nice to meet you all."

"What'll you have?" the bartender asked as they sat down, cleaning his fingernails with a knife.

"Do you have apple juice?" Rapunzel asked

"One apple juice coming right up." The bartender smirked. "So, what'll your friend have?"

Jack looked at the moldy wooden mugs scattered around the room. "Thanks, but I'm not thirsty." he said.

The man sneered at that. "You think you're too good for what we serve?" he asked.

"Of course he doesn't!" Rapunzel said, looking shocked at the accusation. "Are you sure you don't want anything?" she asked Jack, looking concerned. "You aren't thirsty after all that running?"

Jack sighed, but gave in under her concerned gaze. "On second thought, I'll have some water." he said.

A moment later, the bartender tossed two mugs onto the table. Rapunzel took a careful swallow, then looked up, surprised. "This is really good!" she said, already drinking more.

The bartender gave a satisfied smirk. "Best juice you'll find anywhere in Corona."

Jack sipped his water, trying not to think about the germs and filth that it probably contained.

"So, whereya headed?" The hook handed man asked.

Rapunzel gulped, but forced herself to smile at the bruiser. "We're going to see the floating lights." she said.

His brow furrowed. "Floating lights?" he asked.

"Yeah…" Rapunzel said. "The ones that'll be showing up in the sky tomorrow?"

The man frowned. "Do you mean the Lantern Festival?"

"Lanterns?" Rapunzel asked. "That's what they are?"

"Yeah." he replied. "They launch 'em every year for the lost princess."

"I've watched the lights ever since I was little, but it was always too far away to see what they were." Rapunzel said. "For years, it's been my dream to visit them up close." she blushed a little. "Maybe it sounds silly, but I can't help but feel like those lanterns are a part of my destiny."

The man grunted. "I had a dream like that once." he said, staring into his drink.

"Really?" Rapunzel asked, curious. "What was it?"

"Nothing important." the man said. "It was impossible, anyway."

"No dream's impossible if you put your mind to it." Rapunzel said. "Why don't you tell us, and that way we can help make it true!"

The hook handed man kept looking downwards, saying nothing. "Well?" Rapunzel prompted

He stayed quiet for a moment longer, then sighed. "To become a pianist." he muttered.

The room broke out into snorts of laughter. "A pianist?" someone called. "That's your dream, Hooky?"

"Yeah." Hooky snarled, raising his axe and glaring around the room. "Any of you idiots got a problem with that?"

The chuckles died away in an instant, the other patrons shuffling their feet and looking to the ground.

"That's an amazing dream!" Rapunzel said. She turned, and looked towards an old piano sitting in the corner. "Do you know how to play?"

Hooky shrugged. "I know a bit, but-" Rapunzel was already dragging him across the room.

"Why don't you play something for us?" she suggested, sitting down on a bucket and looking up at him. "We can be your first concert!"

Hooky started to refuse, but his mouth closed as Rapunzel hopefully smiled up at him. He sighed, but plopped down on the bench. "Alright lads!" he bellowed. "This'll be to the tune of 'The Queen's Maid and the Wh-'" he cut off abruptly with a glance to the young figure seated beside him. "Oh, never mind what it's called, you all know the song!"

He played a quick intro, then broke into song. _"I'm malicious, mean and scary. My sneer could curdle dairy, and violence wise, my hands are not the cleanest. But despite my evil looks, and my temper, and my hook! I've always yearned to be a concert pianist!"_

Jack raised an eyebrow as the man started to play. Despite his reluctance, he was remarkably good. Baby Tooth zipped out of his pocket, then settled herself on top of a rafter to listen to the music.

Suddenly, the pressure returned, more uncomfortable and urgent than before. Jack frowned and looked at his stomach. It was almost like… _Oh. Right._

He sighed, remembering another aspect of being mortal. "Do you have a privy?" he asked the bartender. The grizzled man gestured towards the back door. "Thanks." Jack said. Rapunzel seemed safe enough for the moment, so he slipped out as the room broke into chorus.

* * *

Jack stepped out of the outhouse, business finished.

"You!" a voice shouted. A black haired woman strode out from the trees, one hand holding a dagger.

Jack tensed, but smiled at the woman. "You must be Rapunzel's mother." he said cheerfully. "She's told me a lot about you."

"You stole my daughter!" she hissed.

Jack shrugged. "She's the one who asked to leave." he said. "Seems to me, at eighteen she ought to be old enough to make her own decisions."

Rapunzel's mother brandished her dagger, and Jack prepared for her to lunge at him. To his surprise, the woman instead drew the blade down the side of her own arm, drawing a line of blood. "Strike!" she hissed, and instantly the pooling blood turned black.

A bolt of energy hurtled towards his chest. "Whoa!" Jack said. He swung his staff and knocked it aside. The blast slammed into the grass, causing it to wilt and yellow.

The woman let out a sound of frustration, but repeated the action. "Strike!" she again called.

Ready this time, Jack easily batted the spell away, this time sending it back towards the witch. She was forced to dive aside, and Jack noticed strands of her hair turning from black to silver.

"I can keep doing this all day." Jack called, spinning his staff as the woman stood. He smiled at the deepening lines on the her face. "But you aren't looking too good, yourself."

His hunch paid off. The woman looked at her reflection in the knife and drew back in horror. "No!" she hissed, pulling her cloak around herself and stumbled towards the woods. As she reached the trees, she looked back towards him, her face filled with fury and loathing. "This isn't over." she snarled.

Jack grinned. "Glad to hear it." he called. "'Cause I've still got more to say about your parenting techniques."


End file.
